A Long Way from Home
by SlytherinAngel
Summary: HURRAY!!!!! I have finally updated the chapters!!! I'm happy happy happy happy happy! R/Hrm, H/new person, G/?--pretty common. I hope that you enjoy! Please review!! ~Ali~
1. Chapter One

A/N: This will be a 'short' story. Hehe...I am not capable of writing a short story. It is R/H. I don't know if any one else will be together *hinthintGinnyandHarryhinthint* Really, this chapter might be short, but it's the longest chapter-six pages, I think, on MicWord. Sorry!   
  
~~*Ali*~~   
  
P.S. When they say 'love you' and stuff, it's just loving like a friend.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone except Sammy! (And any one else you don't recognise)   
  
  
  
A Long Way from Home  
  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"No!" I yelled. "We can't! What school will I go to? I'll be so out of place! An English witch in America? It's outrageous!"   
  
Mum and dad were moving me to America. Away from Hogwarts and away from my two best friends, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter.  
  
"Hermione, darling, you need to calm down! You'll see that it's all for the best. Besides, we don't have a choice. Your father and I have gotten new jobs there! We have to move." My mother was telling me.   
  
I didn't want to go. I knew to many people here. I wouldn't be able to stand it in America. I had no family there, and I didn't know anyone.  
  
"Mum, where are we going to move, exactly?"  
  
"A state called Georgia. They named it after King George, you know. Way back in the seventeen hundreds."  
  
"Well, if you're moving us there, I might as well get something in return. Can Harry and Ron come over for the summer?"  
  
She looked at me in surprise. "Isn't Ron the one you have a crush on, dear?" I blushed.  
  
"Mum, that has nothing to do with anything! They are my best friends and I want to see them as much as I can before you ship me off to the other side of the world. Please?"  
  
"Alright. You can phone them now, if you'd like."  
  
"Well, I can phone Harry, but he'll have to send Ron an owl. I can't call him. Can I use the phone, mum?"  
  
"Go ahead, Hermione."  
  
I ran up to my room and grabbed the phone off of my nightstand. I dialed Harry's number as fast as I could.  
  
"Vernon Dursley speaking." Came a voice on the other end.  
  
"Yes," I said calmly. "I need to talk to a Harry Potter, please. He signed up for an all-summer volunteering camp and I would like to talk to him about it." We had gone over this before, just so that the Dursley's wouldn't yell at him.  
  
"Just a minute."  
  
A few seconds later, "Hello?"  
  
"Harry? It's me, Hermione."  
  
"Oh, right, hold on, uh, Casey. Let me switch phones." Casey?   
  
"Okay. Sorry about that Hermi, I had to get away from them. I doubt Dudley would have cared, but Uncle Vernon…" He trailed off.  
  
"Casey? Thank you, I feel honored. Anyway, to the point. I want to know if you and Ron could come out and spend the summer with me. Do you think you could?"  
  
Pause.  
  
"Sure. Can you pick me up? I don't want the Dursley's to see me with you guys. I'll go down to the bus stop on the next street, and do you think you could pick me up there?"  
  
"Yeah. That's okay. What about your cauldron and trunk? And you can't forget Hedwig."  
  
"Oh, don't worry. I can carry those. Just pick me up."  
  
"Alright. What about Ron? Can you owl him?"  
  
"Sure, no problem. I'll do it right now." I heard him rustling something and then the scratching of a quill.   
  
"Ron, Hermi wants to know if you can come to her house for the summer. I am going. Owl your response to her. Harry. There, done. So, are you going to get together with Ron when we visit?" He said it so casually that you'd think we were talking about the weather.  
  
"Oh, I hope so, I mean…" I trailed off. The question was so random that I hadn't realized what he asked. "Uh, I mean, well, you know…"  
  
He laughed at the other end of the line. "It's okay, Hermione. I know you two like each other. It's really obvious. Are you blushing? I think I can feel the heat coming through the other end, here…" If I were sitting next to him I would have smacked him on the arm.  
  
"Oh shut up, Mr. smarty-pants. Just don't tell him, please?"  
  
"I won't, I won't. I still haven't told anyone that he likes you too…oops. I can't believe I just said that! Don't tell him I told you, okay? I'd like to live to see my next birthday."  
  
"I won't. I'll pick you up the day after next. Love ya, Harry."  
  
"Love you too, Hermi. Goodbye."  
  
"Bye." I hung up the phone and ran to mum. "Harry's coming. Guess what he said? Ron likes me! Oh, I could sing!"  
  
"Well, don't. It's noon and the boys next-door are still asleep."  
  
"Mum, will you take me shopping? I haven't gone in a while and I think I deserve a treat."  
  
"Alright. I'll take you in half an hour. Do you want to call Sammy and see if she'll come?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
Half an hour later, my best muggle friend Samantha and I were walking through muggle London.   
We first went to a shop called Blast.  
  
I looked at a blue dress. It had small spaghetti straps and was tight around the waist. I took it and asked Sammy, "What do you think of this?" I twirled around, and she clapped.  
  
"It's beautiful! You should get that one. And this one!" She reached out suddenly to grab a white halter-top. Another hand reached out at the same time.  
  
"Excuse me, we had that one first." Sammy said.  
  
"Well, I'd like to try it too." I whirled around.  
  
"Ginny!"  
  
"Hermione!"  
  
"What are you doing here?" I hugged her.  
  
"I'm shopping, what about you?"  
  
"I'm shopping too! I think you should try that top, Hermi. You'd look good in it."  
  
"Thanks, Gin. Oh, this is my friend Sammy. Sammy, this is Ginny. She's a friend from school."  
  
"Cool! Another witch! I think that's really awesome." They were instant friends.  
  
"You go ahead and try it, Gin. Who's here with you?"  
  
"Well, mum is, but she went chasing Fred and George after they tricked some muggle kids into eating Ton Tongue Toffee. Percy is here with Penelope, and Ron is just wandering around. I tried to get him in here, but he muttered something about girls, and walked off."  
  
"Well, you can stick with us." Sammy piped up. "She needs to get the latest fashion for the big move."  
  
"Big move?" Ginny asked.  
  
I sighed. "Ginny, I'm…well, I'm moving to America." She gasped. "America? You-you've got to be kidding! You're my best friend! Oh, Hermione!" She gave me a big hug.  
  
"I know, Gin. I don't want to go either, but I have no choice."  
  
"So who knows?"   
  
"No one except you and Sammy. Please don't tell anyone!" I pleaded.  
  
"I won't. Don't worry about it."  
  
"Well," Sammy sighed. "If there is enough sadness for one day, let's shop!"  
  
Two hours later, Ginny, Sammy, and I were weighed down with about six bags each. We had all gotten a makeover at a muggle mall, and had our hair done in a hair salon.  
  
My hair was up in a ponytail, but with a large clip holding it up. My long hair covered up the clip, so it looked like my hair went naturally up and then down to my waist.  
  
Ginny's hair was in a half bun, with the back of her hair straightened. It was long-down to the middle of her back-and very red. A few scattered bangs were covering her forehead.  
  
Sammy had a knot. Her very long black hair was pulled back and twisted into a knot. It had a few strands hanging out here and there, but it was neatly messy.  
  
We were walking down the street, laughing hysterically, when I bumped into someone.   
  
"Sorry, I wasn't…Ron!" I had walked right into him. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Hey Herm, great to see you. I was just looking for Ginny." He turned to her and said, "Mum says it's time to go." She nodded and looked at me with sad eyes.  
  
"You're coming back for one more year, right?"  
  
"Yes, but just one. I'll see you later Gin, don't worry." We hugged and she started walking towards Fred and George, who were waiting at the end of the street. Ron was looking curiously at Ginny and me.  
  
"So, Ron, when are you coming over? It's okay, right?"  
  
"Yeah, it is. I have my stuff all packed. Do you want to come back to the Burrow with us? I can grab my stuff and then we can use Floo powder to get to your house."  
  
"Slight problem with that, Ron. See, my parents are muggles, remember? We can't get to their house by Floo powder."  
  
"Oh, right. Do you want to come over anyway? I mean, dad could probably drive us over to your house. You do live closer to us than Harry does."  
  
"Well sure, I'd…"  
  
"Ahem." Sammy coughed. "Hi there, Hermione. Yeah, see what would I do?"  
  
"Oh, sorry Sammy! Ron, Sammy. Sammy, Ron. Do you think she could come too? If you're mum is okay with that, and if that's okay with you, of course."  
  
"Yeah, it's okay. You of all people should know mum likes company."  
  
I smiled. "Right. Is that cool with you Sammers?"   
  
"Well of course! I thought you knew me, Hermi."   
  
"Okay then. Mum dropped us off, so I'll have to call her really quick. Hold these for me?"  
I dropped my bags on the ground and ran to the nearest payphone.   
  
"Mum? Is it okay if I go home with Ron? Yeah Sammy too. It's okay. Yes, mum, he asked. Just tell her mum she's spending the night. If she comes by, tell her we've gone out for ice cream. Okay? Okay. Right, mum. Love you too. Bye."  
  
I hung up the phone and turned around, and crashed into someone.  
  
"Sorry Ron."  
  
"It's okay. Here are your bags."  
  
"Thanks." I gathered them up in my arms and Ron and I walked over to Fred, who was talking with Sammy. It seemed like love at first sight.  
  
"Oh, great. Sammy falling for Fred. Who would've thought." I laughed, smiled, and shook my head. Ron looked at me in a way I'd never seen before.  
  
"What?" I asked, still smiling.  
  
"Nothing." He laughed. He had such a wonderful laugh! "Just…thinking."  
  
"About what?" I asked curiously.  
  
"About the first time we ever met. God, I thought how bossy can this girl get? But, I didn't know you then like I know you now."  
  
"So you think you know me pretty well, do you?"  
  
"Of course I do. I've known you for six years."  
  
"Oh, well, that explains it. So, what's my favorite color?"  
  
"Blue."  
  
"Nope! It's green. Next question: What is my favorite animal?"  
  
"Uh…A cat!"  
  
"Nope, wrong again. It's a lion. Ha ha. You don't know me well at all."  
  
"Yes I do. I know that you can be very stubborn when you want to be, and that you always have to get your way. I know that you have the cutest smile, and the funniest laugh. I know that you care more about other people than about yourself. And I know that you would rather study than sneak out of the common room in the middle of the night." He turned to look at me. "And I also know your full name." He stuck out his tongue.   
  
"Who told you that?!" I yelled, and whacked his shoulder.   
  
"Ah, I have my sources. I won't tell anyone though." His eyes were sparkling and he was smiling widely. How I would miss those eyes, his smile, his laugh. If only he knew!  
  
I felt tears well in my eyes, and I looked away and wiped my eyes with the back of my hand.  
  
"Is something wrong, Hermi?" I looked into Ron's eyes, and saw that they were full of concern.  
  
"It's nothing. Just, nothing." I faked a smile, and I could tell he knew it. He dropped the subject.  
  
"So, why did you invite us over?" He asked.   
  
"Because. We've been over to your house plenty of times, and I thought it might be a good change. Besides, my mum and dad want to meet you." I lied.  
  
"That's not the reason, Hermione. Don't lie to me. I can see your eyes, you know. I've known you long enough to know when you are lying." The boy did know me well.  
  
"It doesn't matter what the reason is, Ron. I don't want to talk about it." The tears were coming again. I blinked furiously.   
  
"I'm sorry, Herm. I didn't mean to…"  
  
"You didn't Ron. It takes more than that. I've been around Malfoy too long. I am now the woman of ice. I have ice for veins." I cackled evilly.  
  
"Aww, don't say that. Ice is cold, but you're not. My Hermione has a heart, I know that much."   
  
"Your Hermione? So when my parents sell me off to you?"  
  
"Don't you want to be owned by me? The cutest guy in all of England?"  
  
"Well, sure, the cutest guy of England, maybe, but I don't know about you…"  
  
He tickled my ribs.   
  
"Ah! Ron!" He smiled a victory smile and stopped tickling me.   
  
"Here we are, Hermi." We had arrived at a small white building. The Weasley's, Sammy, and I walked into it.  
  
Inside was a large fireplace. It was big enough to fit all of Ginny, Sammy, and my bags in it, plus about two or three people.  
  
"Come on, children!" Mrs. Weasley called. "Come over here and get some Floo powder!"  
  
Sammy walked over to me nervously and asked, "What's Floo powder?"  
I was about to answer when Fred came up and told her that he'd show her.   
Smooth, Fred, I thought.  
  
Mrs. Weasley announced that we would go in pairs, as it would save Floo powder.  
Percy and Penelope went first, then George and Ginny, Fred and Sammy, then Ron and I.  
  
We arrived in the living room at the Burrow.  



	2. Chapter Two

A/N: This is probably the shortest chapter in this whole story...unless I come up with a shorter one. I'm trying my best here people! *sob sob*  
  
I just want to say, I got a flame, and I don't like them. I don't care if you flame me, but it's whatever. My flamer told me that this stuff could never happen because Hermione's parents are dentists. I KNOW THAT. My dentist moved, heck, even GARBAGE MEN move. EVERYONE MOVES. Well, they can if they want. *coughcough ME coughcough* PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.   
  
I also know that Hermione has become the little flirt, but that's just who she happens to be in my story. I'll make an evil Hermione later on, if you want.  
  
Review Review!  
  
P.S. Did I mention that most of this is CHEESE?  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Mrs. Weasley was the last one to arrive.   
  
"Ron, go and get your things. Hermione, would you please help Ginny with her bags?"  
  
"Sure Mrs. Weasley."  
  
I took some of Ginny's things and followed her up the stairs to her room.   
We put her clothes away, her makeup in her dresser, and threw the bags away.  
  
"I'm going to help Ron." I told her, and she nodded while trying to get Pig out of her closet.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I reached Ron's room and knocked on the door.  
  
"Ron! Can I come in?" There was a grunt, which I took for a yes, and so I opened the door.  
Ron was sitting on top of his trunk, trying to get the clasps to close. Hedwig had come in through the window and was watching in amusement. I walked over to Ron and shut the clasps on the trunk and said, "Need anymore help?"  
  
"Nope," he panted. "Have you seen Pig?"  
  
"Yeah. Ginny's trying to get him out of her closet." I walked over to Hedwig and untied the letter that was on her leg. "It's for you, Ron."  
  
"Well duh. It's my house, isn't it?"  
  
"Sorry, it could have been for Ginny or Fred or George, you know."  
  
"But it's Hedwig, Hermione."  
  
"It could have been for me." That got him. He shook his head and read the letter.   
His face went pale, then contorted into rage. He threw the letter on the ground and started to pace the room, running his fingers through is hair. It was starting to stand up on end. Oh, how I would miss his hair! How he ran his fingers through it when he was upset or agitated.   
  
"Ron, what's wrong?" He continued pacing. "Ron?" I said in almost a whisper.  
  
"It's Sirius. They've seen him. He was in the southwest part of Ireland, and they saw him. On top of that, Harry got mad at his uncle, and now Dudley wants him to stay for an extra two weeks. He won't be coming over until two weeks, Hermi.   
  
"He's afraid of Sirius being caught, of course. That doesn't have a lot to do with it though, but if the muggle minister has it on the muggle news again…"  
  
"Oh, no. Poor Harry. What will he do?"  
  
Ron looked ready to kill. "Ron, what's the matter?"  
  
"Oh, you want to know, do you? Finally realized I'm a person, have you? Well, poor Harry, what will he do? No, no, I don't matter. I'm only his damned best friend! All they care about, Hermione, is if Harry is alright! I could get myself killed and no one would even care!" He shook my shoulders and started pacing again.  
  
"I would care, Ron," I said quietly. He stopped pacing.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I would care, Ron." I said louder. "I always have. In our first year, when the giant chess set knocked you out, I was scared. When I was trying to wake you up, I thought you were dead. I was so scared Ron! In the second year, I was worried that the basilisk would hurt you, so I went to the library. In our third year, I tried to climb under the Whomping Willow when Sirius broke your leg. I thought he had killed you! In our fourth year, I was worried that something would hurt you, just because you are Harry Potter's best friend. I cared when you and Harry fought.   
  
"And do you know how much pain I went through when ever we fought? In our fourth year, I was so mad at you for not asking me to the Yule Ball. I have never wanted anything bad to happen to you, Ron." I was standing right across from him now. "So don't you ever tell me no one would care, because I know that I do."  
  
I went to stand by the window, with silent tears streaming down my face.   
  
"Hermione, I…"  
  
"Ron, you don't have to worry about no one caring for much longer. I'll be leaving at the end of this year. You won't have to see me ever again."  
  
"Hermione, what do you mean?" He put his hand on my shoulder.  
  
"I'm moving Ron. I'm moving to America."  
  
He spun me around. "A-A-America?"  
  
"America."  
  
"Hermione, I…I never meant that no one cared. I'm just so sick of everyone feeling sorry for Harry. Everyone always makes sure he's okay, and then they look at us. To them, I'm just another Weasley."  
  
"You're not to me, Ron."  
  
He leaned down, and before I knew what was happening, he kissed me.  
  
I had never had this kind of kiss before. All of my other boyfriends had just been kisses, but this was a kiss. It sent tingles down my spine, and shivers through my body.  
  
I kissed him back eagerly, but he pulled away.  
  
"What?" I asked as he walked toward the other end of his room.  
  
"Are you sure this is right, Hermione? You and me? We're best friends, and I don't want to mess that up."  
  
I walked over and rested a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Ron, we've known each other for six years. How will we know if it's wrong or right if we don't give it a chance?"  
  
"You're right Hermione. You always are."  
  
"I know. It's my job."   
  



	3. Chapter Three

A/N: Am I getting longer chapters? I can't check till tomorrow. You all know my disclaimer. BLAH!  
  
P.S. This is based on a true story. I have moved so many times in my life, I thought I'd make one for my personal benifet. (I think)  
  
  
  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Ron and I stood in front of the window until the sun had set. It was only until Ron heard a knock on the door that I remembered we had to head over to my house.  
  
"Ron, can I come in?"  
  
"Sure, Ginny." She walked in and saw Ron with his arm around my shoulder, and burst out crying. I ran over to give her a hug.  
  
"What's wrong Ginny?" I asked while she sobbed into my shoulder.  
  
"I-I just don't want you t-t-to move! You're my best friend, and I don't want you to leave!"  
  
"I don't want to leave either, Gin, but what choice do I have? My parents are already looking for a house. I'll be leaving at the end of the year."  
  
"But that's only your sixth year, Hermione. If you just stayed one more year, you could graduate and be on your own. You wouldn't have to move." Ron suggested.  
  
"Yeah, but where would I stay? And for a whole year!"  
  
"You could stay with us," Ginny suggested.  
  
"Maybe, but it would be for a whole year. Do you think your mum would be okay with that?"  
  
"It wouldn't be for a whole year, only for one summer. You could always visit your parents on Christmas vacation."  
  
"I'll talk to my mum about it."  
  
"Well, mum said that if you want to head over to Hermione's house, Ron, you have to get your stuff now because dad is about to leave. You and Sammy better go, too." She laughed. "After all, it is your house."  
  
We headed downstairs to Mr. Weasley (he had just gotten back from work) and helped him put the trunks and shopping bags in the car.   
  
Sammy wasn't ready to leave because she wanted to stay with Fred. Fred didn't want Sammy to go. Sticky pickle here people.  
  
So when we finally got them away from each other (which took a very long time, as they hid and started kissing) they were very disappointed, to say the least.  
  
I gave Mr. Weasley the directions to my house, and he was slightly startled.   
  
"Is there something wrong, Mr. Weasley?" I asked.   
  
"No, no, nothing at all. Let's go!"  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
We dropped Sammy off at her house, and then headed over to mine. It was nearly ten when we reached it, but mum was still awake. When Mr. Weasley saw her, he dropped all of the trunks on the porch.  
  
"Mia?"   
  
"Arthur?"  
  
"What are you doing here? I thought you had moved to America!" They hugged.  
  
"You two know each other?" I asked.  
  
"Well, Hermione, Arthur and I met at a summer camp when we were about twelve. We were really good friends until we were about eighteen, and I haven't seen him since!"  
  
"What were you doing at a muggle summer camp, dad?" Ron asked.   
  
"I was just trying something new. You know how much muggles fascinate me. When your grandfather found out that I had a new muggle friend, he thought I should stay in touch with her.   
  
"We even dated once, but then we figured out that we would never be anything more than friends." They laughed.  
  
"Okay, that's kind of out there, but whatever…" I said slowly. Ron's dad and my mum dating? I couldn't picture it.  
  
"Hermione never told me Ron was a Weasley. I would have had you over here in a minute if I knew." Mum was saying. We went into the house and put our trunks and things in the living room.  
  
"Have you had dinner yet? I was just making some things if you're hungry." She asked Mr. Weasley, and we all sat down at the kitchen table.  
  
"Sure. Remember how much I used to eat at your house? Your mother threw a fit once because I ate all of the cake she was making for dessert."  
  
"Well I was always the better cook."  
  
"I'll have to agree with you there, Mia. Lil was never a good cook." Mum (who had been washing dishes) dropped a mug she was holding, and it shattered on the floor.  
  
"Arthur! What are you thinking! You know very well not to say anything about that." She picked up all of the broken pieces off of the floor and threw them away.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mia. What happened?"  
  
"You know perfectly well what happened, Arthur. I don't want Hermione…not yet. Ron and Harry…they're not ready." She sighed and started washing the dishes again. Ron and I exchanged a confused glance.  
  
"So what has been happening over the last few years?" mum asked.  
  
"Well, I married Molly. You know, the one who was always by the pool?"  
  
"You're kidding! Molly Agramonte? Well, I would have never guessed. She never really seemed to like you."  
  
"That's because we didn't really know each other until my seventh year. But we have seven children. Charlie is the oldest, then Bill, Percy, Fred and George are twins, Ron, and Ginny, our only daughter."  
  
"Wow, seven children…that must be a handful." She turned to look at Ron and me and said, "If you two aren't going to eat, you had better get ready for bed. Hermione, show Ron where he's sleeping. Are you going to stay the night also, Arthur? It's a pretty long drive back, and it's late."  
  
"Sure. I'd like to catch up on things first, if that's all right."  
  
So Ron and I walked up the stairs and put his trunk in the guest bedroom. I walked back to my room to change. As I was getting my pajamas on, I thought about what was going on between Ron and I.   
  
Would this really work out between us? We'd always been best friends, and just like him, I didn't want to ruin that. I had never felt this way about anyone before, though.   
  
Suddenly I wanted him to sleep in my room. I wanted just to sleep in his arms tonight. The thought scared me a little.   
  
"What am I thinking!" I said to myself. I finished dressing and got into bed. I turned on the night-light that my father gave me. Whenever he was away, I would turn it on, and it would make me feel like he was watching over me in the night.   
  
The day of shopping had worn me out, and I fell into a deep sleep.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
I woke up in the middle of the night to see a head with bright red hair staring at me.  
I yelped and sat up.  
  
"Ron! What are you doing!" I hissed. "It's…" I looked at the clock on my dresser. "It's two thirty in the morning! Don't scare me like that." I threw a pillow at his head.  
  
"Sorry, Hermi. I couldn't sleep. I thought maybe if I watched you sleep, I'd be able to."  
  
"You're very strange, Ron." He smiled.  
  
"Yeah, strange, but cute." I laughed. "Okay," I agreed. "Strange but cute. So what are you going to do? Now that you woke me up, I don't think I'll be able to go back to sleep."  
  
"Can we just talk?" He asked.  
  
"Of course, Ron. Come here, you can sit on my bed." He sat with his back against the wall, and I moved so that I was sitting next to him. He pulled the covers up over our knees and said, "So, what do you want to talk about?"  
  
"I don't know." Just then, Crookshanks jumped up onto my bed. "Oh, there you are Crookshanks! I was looking for you today!" I picked him up and stroked his flat little head.  
  
"You know what his face looks like? Something that ran into a wall. I've always wanted to tell you that. Why did you get him, anyway?"  
  
"Well, after he jumped on your head, and you ran out of the shop, it was…well, it was like some kind of weird bond. I don't suppose you've ever had that kind of bond, but it's just…kind of hard to explain. It's almost like I understand him. When he's hungry, it'll be like he tells me what he wants to eat. I'm sorry, Ron. That must seem really strange." I set Crookshanks down, and he left the room.  
  
"It's not, really. I think you might have this thing…but I can't remember for the life of me what it's called. It's a thing when you can understand animals. Like Harry, because he's a parselmouth, but you can communicate with most animals."  
  
"Okay…that's strange." I touched his hand. "You want me to read your palm?" It was so random that he laughed.  
  
"You reading my palm? I thought you didn't like divination."  
  
"Well I don't, but I can try, can't I?"  
  
"Alright, go ahead." I took his hand, and in the dim light of my night-light, tried to read his palm.  
  
"Well, you have a pretty short life line. I think that might be because you'll do something to piss George off, or Harry, it doesn't say…You have a million teeny-weeny little lines here, maybe that's how many hairs you have on your head. Or maybe it's how many children you'll have. Or maybe, it's how many times you'll fall asleep in Divination." He roared with laughter; I giggled.   
"This line says you are terribly romantic. Is that true?"  
  
"I'm afraid so. I think something went wrong with my genes, but I can't be sure. Ask my mum, she'll know."  
  
"Okay, Ron. Anyway, this line says you like cats. Well you could have fooled me. I think that's about your whole hand." I traced the lines on his palm with my hand, but I was silent. He took my hand in his, and said, "Hermione, I just want to say I'm sorry."  
  
"For what? You haven't done anything to me…yet." I smiled.  
  
"No, it's just for all of the fights I started. I know I started them, and I'm really sorry. In our fourth year, I only yelled because I liked you, and I couldn't stand to see you with Krum. It was like someone just ripped my heart out. I really like you, Hermione." He leaned over and kissed me. Tingles shot through my whole body, and I shivered, and broke the kiss.  
  
"Do you think Harry will end up with Ginny?" I asked.   
  
"I don't know. I guess. Ginny seems to be pretty much over him, though. She doesn't blush at the mention of his name, and she can have a decent conversation with him. Do you think he likes her?"  
  
"I think he might be starting to appreciate her for a person, and not just your younger sister. Maybe in time he will look at her in a different light, but who can be sure? Time will tell."  
I lay my head in his lap, and he stroked my hair.   
  
"Well, I'm finally tired. I'm going to sleep. Its already…wow, it's already ten to five. Are you gonna make breakfast?" He asked.  
  
"Maybe. I'm not as good a cook as my mum, but she's taught me some tricks. How do you feel about pancakes?"  
  
"Sounds great sweetie. Just something to ask really quickly. Should we tell Harry, or should we just let him figure it out on his own?"  
  
"I think we should let him figure it out, Ron. Just act like my boyfriend, and I'll act like your girlfriend. It won't be hard at all. We are a couple, right?"  
  
"Of course we are. So when is he coming?" He stopped playing with my hair and I sat up.  
  
"Tomorrow, if I can manage it. I'll call him in the morning. I hope Dudley will re-think the two-week punishment. I don't know who it's worse for, the Dursleys or Harry." I ran my fingers through Ron's hair and flopped down onto my pillow. "Goodnight, Ron."  
  
"Goodnight, Hermione." He kissed me and left the room.   
  



	4. Chapter Four

A/N: Sorry for all of the fans of this retarded story! The plot will thicken (I hope) later on. I just remembered about the next chapter, and I have been busy writing my book (yes, that's BOOK) with my friend Kit.   
  
Disclaimer: I don't own HP blah blah blah. I OWN SAMMY!! MUAHAHAHAHAAA  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Chapter 4  
  
I woke up at nine that morning, to find to my great surprise that no one was up yet. (I learned later that mum and Mr. Weasley had stayed up until past midnight.)   
  
I looked into the guest bedroom to see Ron curled up in a little ball. All of his covers were on the floor.  
  
Quietly, I walked over to his bed and picked up the covers and put them on his bed.   
  
After sneaking out of his room, I went downstairs to make some pancakes. I am ashamed to say that I cannot make pancakes out of scratch. I use the powdery stuff that comes in the little bags. Just add milk!  
  
As I was making the third batch, I heard someone coming down the stairs. They came up behind me and hugged my waist.   
  
"Good morning sweetie."  
  
"Good morning, Ron." I flipped the pancakes over just as the phone rang. "Will you get that for me? Just pick it up and say hello."  
  
"Hello? Uh, she's kind of busy right now, who's this? Oh hey Harry. Yeah. I came over last night. Mmhmm…Yeah, okay. Sure. She's making pancakes. No, out of a little box packet thingy." He laughed and ran his fingers through his hair. I put the plates on the table and the large pancake plate in the middle.   
  
"Yeah, I know. I dunno. If you want to." I walked over to Ron and held out my hand. "Yeah, here's Hermi. Sure!" He laughed again. "Okay, I'll talk to you when Hermi's done. Okay, bye."  
  
He handed the phone to me. "Hello?"  
  
"Hey Hermi! So what's going on? Ron told me he came over last night."  
  
"Yeah he did. It's really strange though."  
  
"What is?"  
  
"Well, my mum and his dad know each other. They say that they met at a summer camp when they were twelve. I never thought about my mum knowing about the magical world." I explained. Ron sneaked up behind me and started to tickle me. "Ron!" I yelled. "Stop! I'm on the phone you immature little boy!" I managed that between fits of laughter. "You'll wake up your dad, Ron! He's just in the next room."  
  
"What in the world is going on over there?" Harry cried. "I don't want to miss out on the fun."  
  
"It's nothing Harry. Ron's just acting immature."  
  
Harry gasped. "Tell him he's not allowed to do that with out me there!"  
  
"Okay, Harry. Whatever you want. So when can you come over?"  
  
"I'm thinking now. I'm not at the Dursleys."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"I'm down a few streets, at the bus stop. Can you hurry and pick me up? The Dursleys will be waking up any minute."  
  
"Yeah, I'll come down there with Ron. I can leave now, if you'd like."  
  
"Oh thanks, Hermione. You're a lifesaver. I haven't got a car of my own yet. I'm on New May Drive. Do you know where that is?"  
  
"Of course. That's where the new mall and the hotel is, right?"  
  
"Close to it, that's right."  
  
"Well, if I leave now, I can be there in an hour. Meet us in the food court in the mall okay?"  
  
"Sure. Hedwig is gone for right now, and I can always drop by the Dursleys for her cage. See you in an hour!"  
  
"Okay. Do you want to talk to Ron again?"  
  
"Nah, I'll let him eat. Tell him I said bye."  
  
"Okay. Love ya Harry."  
  
"Love you too, Hermi. Bye."  
  
"Bye." I hung up the phone and turned to see Ron glaring at me from his pancakes. "What?" I asked. He put on a high voice and said, "Love ya Harry!" He shook his head in disgust.   
  
"Well I do! He's my best friend, and so are you, and I love you both."  
  
"But me more, right?"  
  
"Of course. We have to leave now. I can pick up some food in about an hour, if you're still hungry. We have to go get Harry at the new mall near New May. Finish that pancake, and I'll write mum a note, then we'll go."  
  
"Don't we need to get dressed first?"  
  
"Oh, yeah, forgot about that. Okay, forget your pancake. Go get dressed and I'll write mum a note."  
  
So he ran upstairs to his room, and I wrote mum:  
  
--Mum, Ron and I have gone to get Harry at the mall on New May. We will be back in about two and half-hours. Harry called at around nine thirty, and don't worry, I made pancakes.  
  
~Hermione--  
  
I ran upstairs to my room and changed into a dark blue tee shirt and my jeans, and ran back downstairs. Ron was waiting for me at the front door, and I grabbed my key chain.  
  
We walked out to my Jeep and I started it.   
  
"Where's New May?" Ron asked.   
  
"It's near the Dursley's house, about half a mile or so down the street. Are you still hungry?"  
  
"No, I had enough of your delicious pancakes thanks."  
  
"Okay then."  
  
An hour later, I pulled into the parking garage for the mall and parked the car.   
  
Ron and I got out and walked into a large shop, and towards the food court.   
  
We saw Harry almost immediately. He was sitting with a group of people our age and they were laughing.  
  
"Harry!" I called. Ron took my hand in his and we walked towards Harry.   
  
"Hermi! Ron!" He got up to meet us. He pulled Ron into a friendly hug, and then gave me a brotherly type of hug.  
  
"It's great to see you, Harry." I said cheerfully.   
  
"Come here, I want you to meet some people." We walked over to the group of boys and Harry introduced us. "This is Piers, Malcolm, Melanie, and this is Dudley."  
  
Dudley was not the very over weight boy Harry made out to be. He was actually quite thin, with spiked blonde hair, baggy jeans, and an old gray shirt.   
  
Piers was tall and gangly, not unlike Ron, with brown hair, ripped jeans, and a black tank top.  
  
Malcolm had dusty blonde hair, a tongue ring, baggy jeans, and a tight green shirt.  
  
Melanie was probably the most interesting. She had short black hair pulled back into a ponytail, black strapless belly, and flared jeans. Her ears were pierced all the way up, with big hoops on her ear lobes and small studs near the top. There was an entwined tattoo on the top of her arm. She also had a tongue ring.  
  
"Hey Hermione, Ron," Dudley said cheerfully. "Harry's told us a lot about you two."   
  
"Uh, Harry, we gotta go. Mr. Weasley and my mum are expecting us to be back in another hour."  
  
"Yeah guys, we gotta go too," Malcolm announced. As they got up from the table, Melanie came up to me, looked Ron up and down and said in her American accent, "Nice catch you got there, Hermi." She walked away.   
  
"Hear that?" Ron bragged in my ear. "She said I'm a good catch. Ha ha!" I shook my head.  
  
"Ready to go?" I asked Harry.   
  
"Yeah!" He grabbed a small bag that was under the table and walked with us to the car.  
  
"Nice Jeep, Hermi." He said when he saw it.  
  
"Thanks. Now get in."  
  
"Can I drive it?"  
  
"No you can't drive it, you phsyco path!" Harry jumped in the back, and Ron got in the passenger seat. "So do we need to get your trunk from the Dursley's or anything?"   
  
"Nope, I put it all in this little bag. I made it last year. You can put anything inside of it, but it will always remain the same size. I found it just as I was leaving."  
  
I started up the car, and an hour later we reached my house.  
  



	5. Chapter Five

A/N: Sorry about any confusion I have caused. It really is my fault. NOT. Blame Celine. She made me write this! I'm not the muse people! ::throws hands into the air and runs to turn on the lamp::  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
I pulled up into the garage and parked the car. Ron and Harry jumped out and ran into the house.  
  
"Boys," I muttered. Ron heard and he turned around and blocked my way to the house. "Ron! Move it!"   
  
"Nope. Don't wanna." I smiled and pushed him. He staggered backwards and pretended to be mortally wounded. "Ah! My arm! My heart! I think," he gasped, "that I need a kiss before I die." He wheezed and panted for air, so I ran over to him and gave him a kiss.  
  
"You are so dramatic." I laughed.  
  
"I know, but I'm still cute, right?" he acted worried. "Right?"  
  
"Right." I helped him up. "Do you want anymore cold pancakes?"  
  
"Sure, I'm starving. Do you have any syrup?" We walked into the house and into the kitchen. Mum and Mr. Weasley were talking and eating my two-hour-old pancakes.  
  
Harry was searching my cupboards for something, so I walked over and asked, "What are you looking for?"  
  
"The syrup. You have some, right?" I snorted. "What is with you people and syrup? It's right here." I reached up above Harry and grabbed a bottle.  
  
Ron and Harry started eating, but I said I was going to go up to my room.  
  
I ran up the stairs, into my room, shut the door, and grabbed my diary.  
  
--Dear diary,  
  
I am so happy! Ron and I are going out! I'd have never thought it possible that he liked me back!   
I met him yesterday when Sammy and I went shopping. We talked while we walked to a white building. (Sammy wasn't with us, she and Fred seemed very interested in one another.) Inside the building was a large fireplace. Mrs. Weasley put us into pairs, and Ron and I were going through together. I was afraid of messing up and getting us lost in the wrong fireplace, but I didn't. (Thank the lord.)   
  
Mr. Weasley drove us back here, and it turns out he knows my mum! They met each other at a summer camp when they were twelve. They said that they even dated! Isn't that weird? And now their children are going out. Strange things.  
  
Ron came into my room at two thirty last night. He said he couldn't sleep, so we stayed up talking. He is so funny! It's really strange, though. Whenever he kisses me, it's like a tingly feeling through my whole body. None of my other boyfriend's kisses felt like that.   
  
We didn't get to bed until ten to five, and I woke up at nine this morning. Harry called at nine thirty, just as Ron came downstairs. I asked him to get the phone for me, because my hands were full (making pancakes).   
  
We picked Harry up at the mall in New May. We met Dudley and his friends, Piers, Malcolm, and Melissa. It's strange, because of all the things Harry has told us, you'd think Dudley would be uglier and meaner. I guess he's changed. If I weren't going out with Ron, I'd say Dudley was kind of cute.   
  
I laugh at myself for thinking that, because it would never work out anyway. I don't care. I am happy right now, until we move, that is.  
  
I better go now. Harry and Ron will probably knock on my door any second.  
  
Love always  
  
~Hermione--  
  
I closed my diary and locked it, and put it in my dresser. Two seconds later, Ron and Harry barged in.  
  
"You guys need to learn how to knock. What if I was changing?" Ron came over and picked me up. Then he whispered, "That wouldn't be so bad would it?"   
  
"Not for you. No wait, I take that back. I'd kill you if you came in." I smacked his shoulder and he put me down. "So what do you guys want to do? You're staying the rest of the summer, so you better think of something."  
  
"I could think of something," Ron said evilly as he walked past me.   
  
"Oh shut up, Ron." I smiled. Harry laughed and fell onto my bed. "What's wrong with you?" I asked. He was laughing so hard he was crying, and I was surprised he was able to talk.  
  
"You…and Ron…together…it's so…funny! Finally!" He kept on laughing.  
  
"Yeah, okay…" Ron said.  
  
"Sammy!" I exclaimed. "Of course! I'll call her; maybe she'll be able to come over." I picked up the phone on my nightstand and was about to dial her number when I heard voices on the other end. I clicked the mute button, so that I wouldn't be heard.  
  
"I can't bring myself to tell her, Lil. They are all over here. Ron and Harry, I mean. What am I going to do?" I heard my mother's desperate voice.  
  
"I don't know! I haven't seen Harry since he was a babe, and my heart aches for him! If only I could tell him, but that would bring us all into danger." Came an unknown voice of a woman. "I just can't tell them all that…is someone on the phone?"   
  
I hung up quickly and turned back to Ron and Harry who were wrestling. I dropped onto my bed with a pale face. Who was 'Lil' person? What did they not want us to know? Who was my mum talking to? And what was up with the dropping mug last night? Thoughts raced through my mind as the boys wrestled.   
  
"Anything wrong, Hermione?" Harry asked, his head between Ron's arms.   
  
"No." I shook my head. "I'm gonna call Sammy now. You guys don't mind if she comes over, do you?" They were wrestling again and didn't hear me; I smiled.  
  
I picked the phone up cautiously to make sure no one was on, and dialed Sammy's number.   
  
"Hey Sammy."  
  
"Hey Herm. What's up?"  
  
"Nothing much, but Harry came over today. I was wondering if you could come over?"  
  
"Of course. I'll be over in five minutes. My mum was surprised when I came home last night. She said that your mum told her that I was spending the night. I just told her that there was a change of plans."  
  
"Oh, okay. I didn't even thing about it. So you're coming over now?" I asked.  
  
"Yeah. Be there in a minute. Bye."  
  
"Bye!" I turned to Ron and Harry (who had given up fighting and were panting on the floor) and said, "She'll be over in a minute. You want to go outside and play some soccer?" I used to play (American) soccer for my elementary school, Knoll Hights.   
  
So, ten goals later, Sammy walked into our yard and kicked the ball over the roof of my house.  
  
"Ah, the lovely Sammy has finally graced us with her presence." I joked, bowing. Ron got on his knees and said, "All hail Sammy!" Harry just waved.  
  
"Hi, I'm Sammy." She shook Harry's hand. "You look familiar. Do I know you?"  
  
"No, I don't think you do. I'm Harry Potter." Sammy gasped and clapped her hand to her mouth.  
  
"Harry? Oh my gosh! Don't you remember me? I visited your house once." Harry looked confused. "Maybe you'll remember me if I do this." She took her hair and put it in a messy ponytail, put one hand on her hip and the other under Harry's chin, and said (in a ridiculous accent), "Harry, dah-ling, it's me, Claire." Harry's jaw dropped.  
  
"Claire? Oh, I haven't seen you in ages!" He picked her up in a big hug and swung her around.   
"How have you been? I didn't know you lived near Hermione!"  
  
"Well, I do. I've been fine! How's Dudley doing? Did his diet work?"   
  
"He's thin…finally, and he's going great. I haven't seen you in, how long has it been? Six or seven years, hasn't it?" Sammy counted on her fingers.  
  
"Yeah, I think so, but…" She whispered something in Harry's ear and smiled; Harry blushed. "So you wanna help me get that ball?" She dragged him off with out waiting for an answer.   
  
"What was all that about?" Ron asked. I shrugged, but I had a pretty good idea.   
  
"Let's go in my room and wait for them there." We ran up to my room, and I looked out my window. There is an old 'house' that my dad built for me when I was six, and I had a good view of it from my window. Harry and Sammy were making out behind it; the soccer ball off to their right.  
  
I stifled a laugh and went over to Ron, who was sitting on my bed.  
  
"I feel bad for Ginny." I said suddenly.  
  
"Why?" Ron gave me a questioning glance.  
  
"Because Harry has obviously fallen for someone else." Ron gulped.  
  
"What's wrong?" I asked.  
  
"What happened to the Sammy and Fred theory?"  
  
"Oh, that? She's over him. Believe me, I know. Sammy just had a crush. She hasn't even thought about him at all, or you'd know if she was."  
  
"Hermione, she was making out with Fred yesterday."  
  
"Well what did I just tell you? She's a fast mover, but she's not a player." I gave him a stern look.   
  
"Poor Gin. She'll find someone else soon enough."  
  
  
  



End file.
